I went from a round to an oval and didn't really notice much difference. Then I went back to the round and hated it. I'm back on the oval. Traction is definitely improved on loose terrain.
Aww sweet thats cool to hear someone's view on them when going back and forth between the two. I'll use this for recommendations for customers. Thanks for the awesome informative comment!
same experience here. my old bike i was using an oval ring. i recently bought a new trail bike and the round chainring was the first one to go for an upgrade to oval.
Interesting, had a friend say the same thing. Didn't really notice much until he switched back and then he realised what it had been doing for him. Gonna give it a go
I recently realised I rarely use the 34t on my gravel bike, pretty much always grinding in 50t... so I converted to a 1x10 - I got an Absolute Black 50t oval narrow wide chainring, and my word!!! Talk about a game changer. I ride every day... Obviously the benefits of the oblate shape in the chain ring are going to be magnified as you go up in sizes, so it's application for gravel and road riding o e a lighter drop bar bike is different to the more articulated and technical riding the mountain bikers do... but for me, it is extremely noticeable. I've gone from averaging 15-16 mph on 40 mile rides to averaging 18-19 mph. I took this out on a sore leg day, with very little expectations on myself, and just completely smashed it. I felt like I'd added a motor to my bike. There seems to be alot of traditionalists who would like to dismiss this as another fad - maybe for riders in tiers above and/or below where I'm at with my power, it could be pointless - but it you're pretty intermediate and want a change... this is really seriously worth exploring.
Love oval chainrings, wouldn't run an MTB without one. Like you mentioned not necessarily a game changer, but definitely helps in certain situations and also for me makes my legs feel less tired after rides compared to a round ring. My personal fave is the OneUp Switch DM system, makes changing the rings super easy without having to remove my cranks. Loosen 4 bolts 2 turns, remove ring, install new one and off you go.
@@thiosemicarbizidebenzoylal2921 not from my experience but to each their own. It's different for everyone. Whatever works for you is the best thing. 🤘
@@thelegendmtb3483 I feel the same, riding I have to say that I didn't feel much difference, but I started to realize that I was feeling myself less tired at the end of the rides.
Jun Boo if you are currently using a 32t round ring you want to use a 30t oval. The 30t oval will be a 32t at the high point and 28t at the lowest. A 34t round will be a 36t at the high and 32t at the low, which means it will be harder to pedal than your current 32.
Tried one and it’s amazing! Got to a familiar climb where I’m normally in my granny gear. Looked back and saw I still had one more gear! Just quicker turnover and easier spin. You’re right, the first few minutes on it, it feels wonky but you get used to it really quick
Yes they do! I’m absolutely astounded by how well they work. Climbing my local steep trails that would normally gas me out with relative ease....I’m a convert ✌🏻
I searched all over for an explanation of how the elliptical chainrings effectively feel and BAMM, you answered it. Thank you! I ran a 32t oval for Breck Epic and while out there I heard that it is actually a 34 in power stroke. I felt defeated, as I hoped that it would be easier and I guess I went with a chainring that was effectively 2T harder. Now I realize I may have better use for a 30T Oval for such an event and leave the 32T for our normal riding here in Las Vegas area. I appreciate the explanation.
Geez, I remember having the biopace chain set on my cannondale years ago. I really never used anything else so I couldn't compare, but sure felt great... I still am road biking, but changed to a Specialized Tarmac, with 52/36t chain rings. I now am in Spain with some pretty crazy climbing, and if one doesn't have the right gearing, those 80-100 kilometers in a ride will toast you at the end of the day! I just got some Oval titanium 50/34 chain rings, and I am very much looking forward to climbing now when I ride, every little bit of help on long steep climbs these roads helps! I don't like the looks of an egg shaped ring, but heck it is not important, what's important is that they actually work. And the more you use them, the less you notice them. Especially when you made your climb and say "heck, that wasn't that bad"... it's a personal choice of course, to each his own way. But I would at least try them, then make your own opinion :-) :-) :-) Great video bud!!
haha, nice vid! ^^ I do also ride an oval on my enduro! Love to climb with it and how it made me give "rounder" pedal strokes =) The only downside is that I have to give a little more love to my clutch on the derailleur, as the oval gives different tensions to the chain at given zones (power- & recovery-). That makes the swing arm of the derailleur move back and forth and mess up the smothness of the clutch. But nothing lube and a screwdriver couldn't fix ;)
I have a classic road bike handed down to me by my father. Just lately realized that my chain rings are slightly oval in shape for a newbie like me i didn't notice a thing, just rode the bike like you'd normally would. Someone pointed out it's oval so that's how i knew. Also, i bought my GF a 2nd hand bike that has round chainrings and switching back and forth from both bikes I do notice the effects of the oval chainring on the round, it feels kinda flat, even thorough out and i find myself slower on rides with the round. The oval however i think it helps in a "huge" way because it causes the bike to catch momentum much easier than a round one which if you know how important momentum is to gaining speed then you would piece together the idea. If you took time to read my comment and deciding whether you should buy one, I'd definitely recommend you to buy one. I don't know how much of an adjustment it would take because it's like i have been on the assymetric chainrings ever since and just lately realizing i was.
Hi! Good video, thanks. I ride a oval, and I find that the best way to really know if your oval did something for you, would be to swap back to your round ring. That totally clears it up. You'll know. Or, get on a buddy's bike without an oval. The step to an oval is gradual, you almost do not feel the subtle improvements, but, you will surely miss them when you don't have them anymore!
Thanks, Mike, for an honest review. Stop caring about power and torque, though. They are not the problem that oval sprockets address. Duration. As in, duration of time spent in the effective zone versus time spent in the dead centre zone (forgive my spelling- I'm Canadian-). If force input weakens- let's say from 30 degrees before dead centre to 30 degrees after- speed must drop. Not necessarily perceptibly, but enough to constitute, at least, a theoretical problem. That is to say, efficiency should constitute, at least, a problem in theory. Speed drops- two times per revolution of the crank- and we must re-accelerate to the speed we wish to go. Inefficient, since it takes more energy to accelerate to a speed than it takes to maintain that speed. Ideally, we would have a constant, uniform force input, but that is problematic when our legs must retract after each stroke after they have made their brief effort! Incidentally, mountain bikers are more likely to perceive this two-times-per-revolution slow-down than road bikers. I have no idea why.
I switched oval to my Fatbike and was little skeptic does it improve your ride or is it just gimmick. Now i have driven over 1000 miles(1600km) with oval chainring and for sure never go back for round ring. It much smooth to ride with oval and steep climbs that was earlier impossible to climb can now be done with oval.
"...and for sure never go back for round ring." Whatcha gonna do when this fad goes away and these things are no longer produced or available, just like Shimano did in the early 1990's?
@@theadventurebiker I doubt it will go away anytime soon because so many different manufacturer is making them. And there is always option to buy those advance and stock pile them.
I tried an Original Oval Chainring: a 1990 Shimano Biopace!! I just turned the ring and now i have the oval right in the "power zone". I think that round chainring is perfect! Oval one is good for really hard uphill or for trainig a beginner pair of leg.
When I tried an oval chainring it felt like a constant motion(especially on the climbs) vs a stroke-stroke motion with the round chainring. I was very hesitant to try them and totally love them now.
@@larpylarpster Usually when I pedal on a round chainring(especially uphill), my leg motion feels like I am taking steps, left-right-left-right. With the oval chainring it felt like a single uninterrupted circle motion. Imagine putting your bike on 1st gear and trying to go as fast as you can, you'll feel how the circle motion won't quite complete. One leg will go down but won't come up until the other leg pushes it, and you will feel that pause. Now, the oval to me felt like putting the bike on 10th gear and starting pedaling from a stop. It's a constant smooth motion, you don't feel the power transition from one leg to the other. Now imagine that movement on first gear.
Just my 2 cents Been using oval chainrings on my 2 MTBs(hardtail and 120mm full-sus) and on my 2 road bikes(triathlon bike, traditional roadbike) for 2 years. especially under heavy load(low RPM, high torque) situations, the ovalness help me push through the "deadspot" and makes it feel easier to muscle a steep hill up. Under a high wattage scenario(low torque high rpm), it's a lot less noticable, but still makes the pedal stroke feel smoother. I don't generate more power with the same perceived effort, but it seems, that I can hold my 250 wattsa bit longer/more comfortably than with round chainrings. And of course the bling factor One caveat I experienced was with double chainsets. Dropping from the big chainring to the smaller one lead to more chaindrops than with round ones. Especially under load, I often had that problem going up a climb after building some speed. Now that everythign is 1x, that's not a problem. And although I never dropped a chain, I suspect that a NW oval chainring has a higher chance of chaindrop than a round one. With slowmo vids you can often see, that less teeth engage with the chain if you hit a drop or sth similar.
I find the main advantage for me is on climbs , don’t really notice much difference anywhere else , particularly when the going gets tough , it just feels that bit easier to maintain a steady spinning action , and agree with your comment on getting over obstacles on climbs , feels easier to get that extra burst of power to get over something when required
I was excited to try it. Living in Florida we have short punchy climbs. I really felt the difference. It crushes on climbs. On the relatively flat stuff I felt like my cadence was off. Spinning was a bit off and a little harder to pedal. Unfortunately for my usual terrain it wasnt a fit for me.
I added one and it helped my hip flexors feel looser / better. Can't speak to the efficiency etc. But they seem to reduce general body pain for me, so I like it. If I don't think about it it's easy to accidentally get it a stomping spin instead of a smooth consistent spin though.
I have one old Helkama bike from the end of the 80ths. It is equipped with 2x6 drive train and the smaller chain ring is oval shaped Shimano BioPace. It is nice invention and makes it easier to move chain ring over the low power phase which is top (and bottom) where you are not able to give full power to push the pedal down. Of course in real life it is needed to learn rotating movement instead of just pushing the pedal down but I hope you get the point.
I went from a 32t round to a 30t oval wolftooth on my HD4. I feel it's subtle but effective. Definitely take all the help I can get on those steep or punchy climbs
I like my oval triple chain ring 50,40,30 on my 1986 hybrid 750 Trek. In the rear it has 11-32. I live near a long steep hill. It spins pretty well on flat ground and is great on slow chopping grinding on steep climbs.
I use Absolute Black oval chainrings, and I'm super happy with their performance and durability. Something that they helped me out with considerably was knee pain. After long climbs on round chainrings, my knees used to get very sore, but ovals have delayed the timing of the effort and concentrated it in a narrower window, significantly reducing that discomfort for me.
RGCastro7 after riding oval for over a year and then getting a new bike that of course came with a round, the big difference to me is that the round ring requires a lot of effort driving over the top. If you think about the angle of your knee and the force exerted, this is tough on your knees. I felt it. Only 2 rides with the new bike before I ordered a new oval ring! Life is back to normal now. So many benefits and I don’t see any downsides to oval!
@@callawaycass5148 Agreed! Thanks for sharing your experience. I also went through the same thing. I put an oval 2 years ago on my bike, and It's become a mandatory upgrade since then. Have an awesome weekend!
I do not feel like it has changed a lot the way I ride, but what I can tell you by my 3/4 years riding oval chainrings is that the pedaling feels more rounded hence more smooth and for me the most important thing is that with the round chainrings if I was to do a long riding day, in the evening I had some knee pain, with the ovals that is gone, I might be beat up and wasted but no more knee pain, I guess as the transitions smoother, you put less stress on your knees, so for me I think I'll never go back to the regular round chainrings
Yep, Biopace chainrings of the '90s making a resurgence. And just like back then, these oval rings will disappear only to re-appear in yet another 30 or so years.
1990 they did it wrong w kinetics, on our all bikes we have Absolute Black, on their site they are explaining how it works in what position of your leg movement,,,,,,,,, great not just for climbing over rock gardens, helps a lot with acceleration in XC race very handy and the best benefit (at least for me ) is in reducing stress on my worn knees..........
Don’t forget to add 2 links to your chain if you swap 32 round for 32 oval! Once you ride oval for a while (2-3 months), give the round ring a spin. I would be shocked if you stick with the round!
I ride it for the last 3 years and it work! I do some training with it and all my races. I ride round chainring most of the time because its cheaper. On my road bike I ride 3 kind of chainrings: the original ultegra 52-36 for bad weather, oval absolute black 52-36 most of the time and osymetric 50-34. The osymetric is the best of all but its expensive. I keep it for races. At first its weird, you ride a hard 55 tooth pushing and a 45 on the dead spot. I can spin at 110 rpm easy with it and maybe 95 with the round chainring, it help a lot for muscle recovery after a hard climb!
I fitted a 28T on my Scott Hardtail, hard to say if its a game changer as I'm a slow climber anyway but I got up climbs ok that my 28 YO daughter pushed up, I'm 61 so any help is great and there is a psychological edge also
It really makes sense. When your feet are in the centre, you dont have much power thus the chain is at the smaller tooth section, but when you are pushing pedals down with your weight, thats when it chain enters the higher tooth count. So simple yet why did we take so long to develop something like that.
Its more of a question of why has it taken so long to gain popularity. Googling just had me stumble across an example of a 1893 bike with an elliptical chain ring. I think in hill climbing or low cadence efforts they reign, so with MTB, they have some really advantages. I get stuck in some situations where i cant quite get the bike moving because my pedals are at the top and bottom. This gives you an extra gear or two in that area. I also feel like its just a hair more comfortable on the road at higher cadence. Round kinda sucks, but I dont invest in an upgrade over a bike that is uni-radial. I will be upgrading my mtb though.
If I'm riding a 32t round chainring and am swapping to oval with the intent of an extra oomph climbing nasty inclines, would I want one that corresponds 32t in the power zone or recovery zone?
This is something I found: "Our studies led by the University of Primorska, Slovenia show differences when using Oval chainrings compared to round. Up to 9% increase of Force effectiveness, up to 7% less oxygen consumption, up to 15% less Ventilation (breathing) and up to 10% heart rate decrease when using oval chainrings versus round. What does that mean? In short, it means that you will consume less energy at the same power output using Oval chainrings so you can ride for longer and/or faster. Our data show that the higher you climb the more effort you have to put in, therefore it's important to maximize efficiency and effectiveness and you can improve both by using oval chainrings. Oval chainrings work because riders do not produce power evenly through a pedal stroke - the musculature of human legs makes it difficult to maintain an even power delivery to a round chainring. Oval chainrings deliver power more smoothly to your rear wheel. This means you are better able to generate and maintain constant cadence. Because oval chainrings reduce the peak loads on knee joints."
Makes sense..... Is it only for one by systems? What about having a two by with one round & a little oval granny ring? While we're on the subject, what about pentagonal or octagonal chain rings, or is that just silly?
good info I've never tried oval either. I just got a new full sup. bike with a GX Eagle with a 32 front. I love the Eagle but my last bike was 28 in the front. I was thinking I need a bid more since I've have bad knees and was thinking of oval do you think 30's would be ideal since I need a little more help on big climbs and seem to stay in my lower gear range more overall?
New technology! This is the latest thing, you've got to have it! Ha, oval chain rings were standard equipment on even cheap MTBs 30 years ago. The next big thing: Onza bar ends.
everything old is new again! this concept has been around since at least the late seventies with the same debates. on road bikes the consensus seemed to be they worked well for grinding up steep inclines, but for spinning on fast downhill or level ground the round chain ring worked better for most people. For road bikes many riders would put an oval on the smaller chain ring hill climbing, and use a round one on the larger chain ring for level road work. For most mountain bike applications with a single chain ring, the up hill grind is the most important part of getting the most out of the drive train, so an oval single chain ring seems to be a good option. for road bikes and commuters, perhaps not so much.
Translation: that pumpy feeling going up a climb or pumping thru grease mud, is smoothed out to a constant powerband. Im not sure road bikes would see a huge benefit but any offroad bike will!
I tried an oval chain ring and the only difference I felt was that pedaling in general was just smoother. Went fron a 30T round to a 32T oval, and almost didn't feel the difference. On my other bike I went from a 30T round to a 32T round, and the difference is a lot more significant. On my first ever ride with an oval chain ring I had really bad knee pain, but then on the next ride i didn't feel any discomfort at all, which I found weird and i don't know if it's related to the oval shape... I think I heard a comment somewhere that an oval chain ring can wear out your derailleur's clutch (if it's engaged).
Also I see you used a chain guide too was it the same one as your round one? I have one but heard many ovals won't work with normal chain guides you need ones made for ovals?
How about long term durability ? if you compere with standard chainring. How miles you out of this chainring ? Also can you use a YBN or KMC chain with Oval. Thanks
Definitely doesn't make much of a difference but as a person with knee problems, you torque your knees around less and I notice the difference in pain after a ride. Only recommend it if you're changing to a different size ring anyway
Doesn't Chris Froome ride oval chainrings? And wouldn't it easier to go up an incline when the narrow (30t) part of the chainring is on the power stroke? To me, climbing is easier in a 30t than a 32t. I don't shift to a larger gear when climbing a hill?
Great vid I reralyy want to try one out! so if I want to calculate the highest speed I can get on a 38t oval, would I imput 40t or 38t in the calculation? THX
Bought the same one for my stumpjumper 29er and I didnt notice until I tried to do a wheelie. And when I expected the drop in the front wheel, I just kind of stayed. It felt way smoother (if that makes any sense)
Ive used both with normal and clipless pedals. I think the original bio pace wasn't really designed for clipless so when they tested them, the athletes got in injured
Had round,had oval,went back to round,like the bottom bracket,cassette, jockey wheels and wheels,the oval felt slightly easier going up hills,chain device
When you say it’s going to feel like a 34 during power zone do you mean it’s going to feel harder in the same gear as before or you’ll feel more power transfer at the same effort?
interestingly enough, there is very little chain growth because of the oval shape. singletrackworld.com/forum/topic/absolute-black-oval-chainrings/ I run one on my singlespeed without any issues.
Melo Boy Not the same as biopace. Biopace is the opposite: it’s harder during your weak stroke and easier during your power stroke. The modern one is better.
None of the videos I've seen talk about how to index the chainring in relation to the pedal arm. I've seen references to 112.5*, but would like some clarification on it. I'm guessing if indexed wrong, it would have the opposite effect.
I have an Absolute Black 30t and it has an arrow to show where to put the crank arm. It also might depend on the style of chain ring attachment. Just follow the instructions and you’ll get it right.
I don't really understand this. Is there a certain way you need to position the chainring in relation to the crank arms? The power zone isn't a full 180 degree rotation, right? So does it only sync up on occasion, or is it not symmetrical across one axis so it DOES sync up? Or is my understanding of how much degree of crank turn consists of the "power zone" is completely wrong? Someone help me out here because I am a couple White Russians in and am dumb as is...
Hmmmm - now I feel like I have to try and oval chainring - mainly because life seems better in the POWER ZONE!!!
LOL POWER ZONE 4 LYFE
That's what she said
I bashed my chainring on a rock, now I have an oval chain ring
😂😂😂
🤣😂
Mine is round, its all the rage
😂
Idiot
I went from a round to an oval and didn't really notice much difference. Then I went back to the round and hated it. I'm back on the oval. Traction is definitely improved on loose terrain.
Aww sweet thats cool to hear someone's view on them when going back and forth between the two. I'll use this for recommendations for customers. Thanks for the awesome informative comment!
same experience here. my old bike i was using an oval ring. i recently bought a new trail bike and the round chainring was the first one to go for an upgrade to oval.
Interesting, had a friend say the same thing. Didn't really notice much until he switched back and then he realised what it had been doing for him. Gonna give it a go
I recently realised I rarely use the 34t on my gravel bike, pretty much always grinding in 50t... so I converted to a 1x10 - I got an Absolute Black 50t oval narrow wide chainring, and my word!!! Talk about a game changer. I ride every day... Obviously the benefits of the oblate shape in the chain ring are going to be magnified as you go up in sizes, so it's application for gravel and road riding o e a lighter drop bar bike is different to the more articulated and technical riding the mountain bikers do... but for me, it is extremely noticeable. I've gone from averaging 15-16 mph on 40 mile rides to averaging 18-19 mph. I took this out on a sore leg day, with very little expectations on myself, and just completely smashed it. I felt like I'd added a motor to my bike. There seems to be alot of traditionalists who would like to dismiss this as another fad - maybe for riders in tiers above and/or below where I'm at with my power, it could be pointless - but it you're pretty intermediate and want a change... this is really seriously worth exploring.
Just installed one on my Yeti SB5.5 and so far so good. Making climbs a bit easier now, which is my weakness. Thanks!
Yeah lets just say I'm alright at climbing, but not naturally built for it haha. Any bit helps, so I understand where you're coming from!
Love oval chainrings, wouldn't run an MTB without one. Like you mentioned not necessarily a game changer, but definitely helps in certain situations and also for me makes my legs feel less tired after rides compared to a round ring. My personal fave is the OneUp Switch DM system, makes changing the rings super easy without having to remove my cranks. Loosen 4 bolts 2 turns, remove ring, install new one and off you go.
Unless you pushing watts for a hour its imperceptible.
@@thiosemicarbizidebenzoylal2921 not from my experience but to each their own. It's different for everyone. Whatever works for you is the best thing. 🤘
@@thelegendmtb3483 I feel the same, riding I have to say that I didn't feel much difference, but I started to realize that I was feeling myself less tired at the end of the rides.
#THELEGENDMTB Hi, I’m running a 32T. Should I go for a 34T Oval?. Thanks in advance.
Jun Boo if you are currently using a 32t round ring you want to use a 30t oval.
The 30t oval will be a 32t at the high point and 28t at the lowest. A 34t round will be a 36t at the high and 32t at the low, which means it will be harder to pedal than your current 32.
It does exactly what you just said! I've got one, and I'm loving it!
Tried one and it’s amazing! Got to a familiar climb where I’m normally in my granny gear. Looked back and saw I still had one more gear! Just quicker turnover and easier spin. You’re right, the first few minutes on it, it feels wonky but you get used to it really quick
Yes they do! I’m absolutely astounded by how well they work. Climbing my local steep trails that would normally gas me out with relative ease....I’m a convert ✌🏻
That was probably the most sensible and straight forward break down of an oval tooth chain ring I have seen to date! Thanks for the video.
It's so funny to see oval chainrings making a comeback. I had them on my first mountain bike back in the late 80s or early 90s
John Greene Biopace is not the same as the modern oval chainring.
They dig in obsolete technology to sell it as "cutting edge" technology for a premium.
Eric Chen ol
@@MaplePanda04 Agreed, biopace was different. Remeber a friend had one on his bike, when where were teens
I searched all over for an explanation of how the elliptical chainrings effectively feel and BAMM, you answered it. Thank you! I ran a 32t oval for Breck Epic and while out there I heard that it is actually a 34 in power stroke. I felt defeated, as I hoped that it would be easier and I guess I went with a chainring that was effectively 2T harder. Now I realize I may have better use for a 30T Oval for such an event and leave the 32T for our normal riding here in Las Vegas area. I appreciate the explanation.
Geez, I remember having the biopace chain set on my cannondale years ago. I really never used anything else so I couldn't compare, but sure felt great... I still am road biking, but changed to a Specialized Tarmac, with 52/36t chain rings. I now am in Spain with some pretty crazy climbing, and if one doesn't have the right gearing, those 80-100 kilometers in a ride will toast you at the end of the day! I just got some Oval titanium 50/34 chain rings, and I am very much looking forward to climbing now when I ride, every little bit of help on long steep climbs these roads helps!
I don't like the looks of an egg shaped ring, but heck it is not important, what's important is that they actually work. And the more you use them, the less you notice them. Especially when you made your climb and say "heck, that wasn't that bad"... it's a personal choice of course, to each his own way. But I would at least try them, then make your own opinion :-) :-) :-)
Great video bud!!
haha, nice vid! ^^ I do also ride an oval on my enduro! Love to climb with it and how it made me give "rounder" pedal strokes =) The only downside is that I have to give a little more love to my clutch on the derailleur, as the oval gives different tensions to the chain at given zones (power- & recovery-). That makes the swing arm of the derailleur move back and forth and mess up the smothness of the clutch. But nothing lube and a screwdriver couldn't fix ;)
I have a classic road bike handed down to me by my father. Just lately realized that my chain rings are slightly oval in shape for a newbie like me i didn't notice a thing, just rode the bike like you'd normally would. Someone pointed out it's oval so that's how i knew. Also, i bought my GF a 2nd hand bike that has round chainrings and switching back and forth from both bikes I do notice the effects of the oval chainring on the round, it feels kinda flat, even thorough out and i find myself slower on rides with the round. The oval however i think it helps in a "huge" way because it causes the bike to catch momentum much easier than a round one which if you know how important momentum is to gaining speed then you would piece together the idea. If you took time to read my comment and deciding whether you should buy one, I'd definitely recommend you to buy one. I don't know how much of an adjustment it would take because it's like i have been on the assymetric chainrings ever since and just lately realizing i was.
Heckkkkkk yeah! I really really like my oval chainring too!
Hi! Good video, thanks. I ride a oval, and I find that the best way to really know if your oval did something for you, would be to swap back to your round ring. That totally clears it up. You'll know. Or, get on a buddy's bike without an oval. The step to an oval is gradual, you almost do not feel the subtle improvements, but, you will surely miss them when you don't have them anymore!
I just added an eagle 32 oval and I love it. You described it perfect not a game changer, but helps for sure! Good vid
Yep just helps enough to make it work it! Thanks for watching!!
I found them most helpful when I went from clips to flats, since one ankle would not longer allow for clipping in/out.
I do hear that helps a lot from other people too!
I've never written an oval. However I think this is more beneficial for flats than for clips.
I love mine, and it looks sick too. Absolute Black 34t. Awesome for XC racing
Thanks, Mike, for an honest review. Stop caring about power and torque, though. They are not the problem that oval sprockets address. Duration. As in, duration of time spent in the effective zone versus time spent in the dead centre zone (forgive my spelling- I'm Canadian-). If force input weakens- let's say from 30 degrees before dead centre to 30 degrees after- speed must drop. Not necessarily perceptibly, but enough to constitute, at least, a theoretical problem. That is to say, efficiency should constitute, at least, a problem in theory. Speed drops- two times per revolution of the crank- and we must re-accelerate to the speed we wish to go. Inefficient, since it takes more energy to accelerate to a speed than it takes to maintain that speed. Ideally, we would have a constant, uniform force input, but that is problematic when our legs must retract after each stroke after they have made their brief effort! Incidentally, mountain bikers are more likely to perceive this two-times-per-revolution slow-down than road bikers. I have no idea why.
I switched oval to my Fatbike and was little skeptic does it improve your ride or is it just gimmick.
Now i have driven over 1000 miles(1600km) with oval chainring and for sure never go back for round ring.
It much smooth to ride with oval and steep climbs that was earlier impossible to climb can now be done with oval.
Awesome to hear you like yours too! I really like mine, and will probably build all of my future bikes with them!!
"...and for sure never go back for round ring."
Whatcha gonna do when this fad goes away and these things are no longer produced or available, just like Shimano did in the early 1990's?
@@theadventurebiker I doubt it will go away anytime soon because so many different manufacturer is making them. And there is always option to buy those advance and stock pile them.
I tried an Original Oval Chainring: a 1990 Shimano Biopace!! I just turned the ring and now i have the oval right in the "power zone". I think that round chainring is perfect! Oval one is good for really hard uphill or for trainig a beginner pair of leg.
When I tried an oval chainring it felt like a constant motion(especially on the climbs) vs a stroke-stroke motion with the round chainring. I was very hesitant to try them and totally love them now.
Can you explain it any different? I am trying to wrap my head around this, and I am struggling.
@@larpylarpster Usually when I pedal on a round chainring(especially uphill), my leg motion feels like I am taking steps, left-right-left-right. With the oval chainring it felt like a single uninterrupted circle motion.
Imagine putting your bike on 1st gear and trying to go as fast as you can, you'll feel how the circle motion won't quite complete. One leg will go down but won't come up until the other leg pushes it, and you will feel that pause.
Now, the oval to me felt like putting the bike on 10th gear and starting pedaling from a stop. It's a constant smooth motion, you don't feel the power transition from one leg to the other. Now imagine that movement on first gear.
As strange as it sounds, an oval chain ring feels rounder than a rounder chain ring.
I've ridden them in the past when I went from 2x10 to 1x10. I really liked how it worked. I would do it again.
I like mine too! I think I'll keep running them for a long time!
Just my 2 cents
Been using oval chainrings on my 2 MTBs(hardtail and 120mm full-sus) and on my 2 road bikes(triathlon bike, traditional roadbike) for 2 years.
especially under heavy load(low RPM, high torque) situations, the ovalness help me push through the "deadspot" and makes it feel easier to muscle a steep hill up. Under a high wattage scenario(low torque high rpm), it's a lot less noticable, but still makes the pedal stroke feel smoother. I don't generate more power with the same perceived effort, but it seems, that I can hold my 250 wattsa bit longer/more comfortably than with round chainrings. And of course the bling factor
One caveat I experienced was with double chainsets. Dropping from the big chainring to the smaller one lead to more chaindrops than with round ones. Especially under load, I often had that problem going up a climb after building some speed. Now that everythign is 1x, that's not a problem. And although I never dropped a chain, I suspect that a NW oval chainring has a higher chance of chaindrop than a round one. With slowmo vids you can often see, that less teeth engage with the chain if you hit a drop or sth similar.
I believe you strongly recommend it right?
I find the main advantage for me is on climbs , don’t really notice much difference anywhere else , particularly when the going gets tough , it just feels that bit easier to maintain a steady spinning action , and agree with your comment on getting over obstacles on climbs , feels easier to get that extra burst of power to get over something when required
Yeah totally! The big difference is definitely the improvement on getting up and over things!
I was excited to try it. Living in Florida we have short punchy climbs. I really felt the difference. It crushes on climbs. On the relatively flat stuff I felt like my cadence was off. Spinning was a bit off and a little harder to pedal. Unfortunately for my usual terrain it wasnt a fit for me.
I added one and it helped my hip flexors feel looser / better. Can't speak to the efficiency etc. But they seem to reduce general body pain for me, so I like it.
If I don't think about it it's easy to accidentally get it a stomping spin instead of a smooth consistent spin though.
I actually felt I was pushing more on my left leg
I have one old Helkama bike from the end of the 80ths. It is equipped with 2x6 drive train and the smaller chain ring is oval shaped Shimano BioPace. It is nice invention and makes it easier to move chain ring over the low power phase which is top (and bottom) where you are not able to give full power to push the pedal down. Of course in real life it is needed to learn rotating movement instead of just pushing the pedal down but I hope you get the point.
my son has 2 bikes both with 30 tooth oval chain rings and loves them for steep climes.
Thanks for the video. I've been considering trying one.
i watch the whole youtube in the seek of an explanation i finally got it, thanks my fren
That chain have seen some good trails I'm sure. thanks for the good videos.
i can definitely notice a difference especially climbing, I have a 34 oval install on my crossbike. Im a believer.
I didn't notice what pedals you were using, but it apparently has a bigger effect with flats, from what I've read. thanks!
I went from a 32t round to a 30t oval wolftooth on my HD4. I feel it's subtle but effective. Definitely take all the help I can get on those steep or punchy climbs
I like my oval triple chain ring 50,40,30 on my 1986 hybrid 750 Trek. In the rear it has 11-32. I live near a long steep hill. It spins pretty well on flat ground and is great on slow chopping grinding on steep climbs.
Just got mine today..excited to try it out
Best way to see the difference is changing to oval for a month, use it in your everyday ride then switch back to round.
Yayyyy! I have heard heated debate over it's efficacy and want to try it myself.
I use Absolute Black oval chainrings, and I'm super happy with their performance and durability. Something that they helped me out with considerably was knee pain. After long climbs on round chainrings, my knees used to get very sore, but ovals have delayed the timing of the effort and concentrated it in a narrower window, significantly reducing that discomfort for me.
Thats actually something I've never thought about! Thanks so much for that info!! I'll pass it onto customers with knee pains 😃
@@TheLostCo Excellent! I hope it helps them out.
RGCastro7 after riding oval for over a year and then getting a new bike that of course came with a round, the big difference to me is that the round ring requires a lot of effort driving over the top. If you think about the angle of your knee and the force exerted, this is tough on your knees. I felt it. Only 2 rides with the new bike before I ordered a new oval ring! Life is back to normal now. So many benefits and I don’t see any downsides to oval!
@@callawaycass5148 Agreed! Thanks for sharing your experience.
I also went through the same thing. I put an oval 2 years ago on my bike, and It's become a mandatory upgrade since then.
Have an awesome weekend!
I do not feel like it has changed a lot the way I ride, but what I can tell you by my 3/4 years riding oval chainrings is that the pedaling feels more rounded hence more smooth and for me the most important thing is that with the round chainrings if I was to do a long riding day, in the evening I had some knee pain, with the ovals that is gone, I might be beat up and wasted but no more knee pain, I guess as the transitions smoother, you put less stress on your knees, so for me I think I'll never go back to the regular round chainrings
Good little video explaining it
I have bad knee joints and ovals definitely helped.
Its like the 1990's all over again .
No it's not!
Yep, here we go again.
Yep, Biopace chainrings of the '90s making a resurgence. And just like back then, these oval rings will disappear only to re-appear in yet another 30 or so years.
That's how these things work. They bring back old technology or concepts and sell it to the next generation as something new.
1990 they did it wrong w kinetics, on our all bikes we have Absolute Black, on their site they are explaining how it works in what position of your leg movement,,,,,,,,, great not just for climbing over rock gardens, helps a lot with acceleration in XC race very handy and the best benefit (at least for me ) is in reducing stress on my worn knees..........
Don’t forget to add 2 links to your chain if you swap 32 round for 32 oval! Once you ride oval for a while (2-3 months), give the round ring a spin. I would be shocked if you stick with the round!
I ride it for the last 3 years and it work! I do some training with it and all my races. I ride round chainring most of the time because its cheaper. On my road bike I ride 3 kind of chainrings: the original ultegra 52-36 for bad weather, oval absolute black 52-36 most of the time and osymetric 50-34. The osymetric is the best of all but its expensive. I keep it for races. At first its weird, you ride a hard 55 tooth pushing and a 45 on the dead spot. I can spin at 110 rpm easy with it and maybe 95 with the round chainring, it help a lot for muscle recovery after a hard climb!
Totally agree with all of that! I've noticed for sure that the oval helps me climb at least a little bit, and every bit helps when going uphill!
I ride oval on my gravel and road bike! Definitely going to try it on my mtb soon.
This video needs more cats
ha!
I fitted a 28T on my Scott Hardtail, hard to say if its a game changer as I'm a slow climber anyway but I got up climbs ok that my 28 YO daughter pushed up, I'm 61 so any help is great and there is a psychological edge also
It really makes sense. When your feet are in the centre, you dont have much power thus the chain is at the smaller tooth section, but when you are pushing pedals down with your weight, thats when it chain enters the higher tooth count. So simple yet why did we take so long to develop something like that.
Its more of a question of why has it taken so long to gain popularity. Googling just had me stumble across an example of a 1893 bike with an elliptical chain ring. I think in hill climbing or low cadence efforts they reign, so with MTB, they have some really advantages. I get stuck in some situations where i cant quite get the bike moving because my pedals are at the top and bottom. This gives you an extra gear or two in that area. I also feel like its just a hair more comfortable on the road at higher cadence. Round kinda sucks, but I dont invest in an upgrade over a bike that is uni-radial. I will be upgrading my mtb though.
Oval chainrings have been around since the 80’s. So have stump jumper back rings.
If I'm riding a 32t round chainring and am swapping to oval with the intent of an extra oomph climbing nasty inclines, would I want one that corresponds 32t in the power zone or recovery zone?
This is something I found: "Our studies led by the University of Primorska, Slovenia show differences when using Oval chainrings compared to round. Up to 9% increase of Force effectiveness, up to 7% less oxygen consumption, up to 15% less Ventilation (breathing) and up to 10% heart rate decrease when using oval chainrings versus round. What does that mean? In short, it means that you will consume less energy at the same power output using Oval chainrings so you can ride for longer and/or faster. Our data show that the higher you climb the more effort you have to put in, therefore it's important to maximize efficiency and effectiveness and you can improve both by using oval chainrings. Oval chainrings work because riders do not produce power evenly through a pedal stroke - the musculature of human legs makes it difficult to maintain an even power delivery to a round chainring.
Oval chainrings deliver power more smoothly to your rear wheel. This means you are better able to generate and maintain constant cadence. Because oval chainrings reduce the peak loads on knee joints."
Had one in the late 70s I put on as are replacement. asked about them a few years ago was told discontinued because they hurt the knees.
Makes sense..... Is it only for one by systems? What about having a two by with one round & a little oval granny ring?
While we're on the subject, what about pentagonal or octagonal chain rings, or is that just silly?
I decided to go for a bike ride but halfway through my ride I forgot I was on a bike ride.
Don't get lost!
I think an oval chainring would be good for my bike because mine is a really slack all mountain full squish so an oval might improve climbing
good info I've never tried oval either. I just got a new full sup. bike with a GX Eagle with a 32 front. I love the Eagle but my last bike was 28 in the front. I was thinking I need a bid more since I've have bad knees and was thinking of oval do you think 30's would be ideal since I need a little more help on big climbs and seem to stay in my lower gear range more overall?
Mate, want to ask … have you ever tested oval chainrings from various brands and can you compare ? Did any feel better than others ?
Thanks.
Do love how you've got all your viewers pinned - if its too compliacted, we'll go watch cat videos, haha - so true..
New technology! This is the latest thing, you've got to have it! Ha, oval chain rings were standard equipment on even cheap MTBs 30 years ago.
The next big thing: Onza bar ends.
everything old is new again! this concept has been around since at least the late seventies with the same debates. on road bikes the consensus seemed to be they worked well for grinding up steep inclines, but for spinning on fast downhill or level ground the round chain ring worked better for most people. For road bikes many riders would put an oval on the smaller chain ring hill climbing, and use a round one on the larger chain ring for level road work. For most mountain bike applications with a single chain ring, the up hill grind is the most important part of getting the most out of the drive train, so an oval single chain ring seems to be a good option. for road bikes and commuters, perhaps not so much.
If you mean Biopace, didn't they have the orientation exactly wrong (90 deg rotated from the current ones)??
"so right now you're probably confused and click out of this video and go watch cat videos"
This is totally me
Great Video! Would you need to adjust the tension on your derailleur?
I just put mine straight on no adjustment needed, I have a 1 x
Translation: that pumpy feeling going up a climb or pumping thru grease mud, is smoothed out to a constant powerband. Im not sure road bikes would see a huge benefit but any offroad bike will!
Good video. Been wanting to try one. Not sure how it'll work with my e*thirteen chain guide though.
I tried an oval chain ring and the only difference I felt was that pedaling in general was just smoother. Went fron a 30T round to a 32T oval, and almost didn't feel the difference. On my other bike I went from a 30T round to a 32T round, and the difference is a lot more significant. On my first ever ride with an oval chain ring I had really bad knee pain, but then on the next ride i didn't feel any discomfort at all, which I found weird and i don't know if it's related to the oval shape... I think I heard a comment somewhere that an oval chain ring can wear out your derailleur's clutch (if it's engaged).
Also I see you used a chain guide too was it the same one as your round one? I have one but heard many ovals won't work with normal chain guides you need ones made for ovals?
Hi mate, I love my oval chain ring. I have found it great for both long distance and sprinting. What do you think of that dhx2 kashima rear shock?
Good informative video!
We need an update to this video. See if anything has changed. Tech or opinion!? Need it for 2024
How about long term durability ? if you compere with standard chainring. How miles you out of this chainring ? Also can you use a YBN or KMC chain with Oval. Thanks
Definitely doesn't make much of a difference but as a person with knee problems, you torque your knees around less and I notice the difference in pain after a ride. Only recommend it if you're changing to a different size ring anyway
Yeah totally I can see that! I guess I haven't noticed but I used to have pain in my right knee... but I don't anymore...Hmmm...
Doesn't Chris Froome ride oval chainrings? And wouldn't it easier to go up an incline when the narrow (30t) part of the chainring is on the power stroke? To me, climbing is easier in a 30t than a 32t. I don't shift to a larger gear when climbing a hill?
Great vid I reralyy want to try one out! so if I want to calculate the highest speed I can get on a 38t oval, would I imput 40t or 38t in the calculation? THX
I have oval chainrings on my Yeti ARC hardtail and love them for XC. I can ride faster and farther with less fatigue.
Well you convinced me to try one lol 👍
Cool vid!
Great vid...thanks!!!
Bought the same one for my stumpjumper 29er and I didnt notice until I tried to do a wheelie. And when I expected the drop in the front wheel, I just kind of stayed. It felt way smoother (if that makes any sense)
I’ve heard multiple pros swear by them. Makes climbs significantly easier
Ive used both with normal and clipless pedals. I think the original bio pace wasn't really designed for clipless so when they tested them, the athletes got in injured
Shimano was doing it in the late eighties with BIO PACE. They didn’t have it in the right orientation with the crank.
Had round,had oval,went back to round,like the bottom bracket,cassette, jockey wheels and wheels,the oval felt slightly easier going up hills,chain device
Ahhhh, the offspring “ self esteem” on my chainring
i have oval on one bike, round on the other. i don't really notice any difference on trail.
That's because Oval rings are a gimmick.
When you say it’s going to feel like a 34 during power zone do you mean it’s going to feel harder in the same gear as before or you’ll feel more power transfer at the same effort?
If you normally ride a 32T round and change to an oval, best to buy a 30 t or 32 t?
It was confusing until I realized you had the close up video about 40 degrees from level, and you're literally showing up and down on it.
Correct me if I'm wrong, but doesn't your power stay constant but your torque increases (referring @ 0:44 )
Wow, oval chainring. It's work in any cyclocross and road bike?
Yes my friend
I remember oval rings in the 90s. Never took off because it added nothing.
Haven't tried modern oval rings,thinking the clutch rear mech will make some resistance when pedaling the oval?
interestingly enough, there is very little chain growth because of the oval shape. singletrackworld.com/forum/topic/absolute-black-oval-chainrings/
I run one on my singlespeed without any issues.
thanks !
I'm old enough to remember Biopace chainrings. Everything old is new again.
Melo Boy Not the same as biopace. Biopace is the opposite: it’s harder during your weak stroke and easier during your power stroke. The modern one is better.
They look like the new guy at the factory that makes chainrings messed up on the CNC milling machine settings. Gimmicky
What’s your take on running a kmc chain on the shimano hg+ absolute black oval
None of the videos I've seen talk about how to index the chainring in relation to the pedal arm. I've seen references to 112.5*, but would like some clarification on it. I'm guessing if indexed wrong, it would have the opposite effect.
I have an Absolute Black 30t and it has an arrow to show where to put the crank arm. It also might depend on the style of chain ring attachment. Just follow the instructions and you’ll get it right.
oval chainrings are great at climbing but if your accelerating or going downhill they become weird and unpredictable, i like nice stable acceleration
I don't really understand this. Is there a certain way you need to position the chainring in relation to the crank arms? The power zone isn't a full 180 degree rotation, right? So does it only sync up on occasion, or is it not symmetrical across one axis so it DOES sync up? Or is my understanding of how much degree of crank turn consists of the "power zone" is completely wrong? Someone help me out here because I am a couple White Russians in and am dumb as is...